By Jeff Snyder
MOUNT AYR, Iowa — Favorable weather has given the new Careers in Technical Education (CTE) building project for the Mount Ayr Community Schools a welcomed boost in construction progress.
Frigid weather in January hampered the building advancement largely due to sub-zero temperatures. The first stages of the progress required preparation of the building site along with laying out the forms for pouring the building’s foundation.
Concrete work requires a certain amount of assistance from Mother Nature if the building is going to be structurally sound. Now that the foundation has successfully been laid, the crews have focused their efforts on constructing the superstructure.
Recently, crews quickly went about erecting the steel skeleton that will provide the framework for the remainder of the exterior of the center.
“We are grateful for the warm days we have been having lately,” project superintendent Jim Tague said. “We are trying to get as much done while we have this window.”
Once the skeleton is complete, which is expected to be within the next week or so, they can proceed with the 40-foot long roof panel installations which will effectively weatherproof the building which will allow for interior work to begin.
Along with the exterior of the building, the structure’s floor still has to have the concrete poured which is also highly dependent on favorable weather.
Tague was pleased with the progress of the CTE center and commended his crews for expediting the plan as quickly as they have. He went on to explain that the building is on pace and is expected to be completed on schedule in time for the 2026-27 school year.
